Investing scientific research outputs in light of crises and disasters: (COVID‐19 crisis as a model)

• Published date: 01 November 2020
• Author: Boshra A. Arnout
• Date: 01 November 2020
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1002/pa.2356

ACADEMIC PAPER

Investing scientific research outputs in light of crises and

disasters: (COVID-19 crisis as a model)

Boshra A. Arnout

1,2

1

Department of Psychology, King Khalid

University, Abha, Saudi Arabia

2

Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts,

Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt

Correspondence

Boshra A. Arnout, Department of Psychology,

King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia.

Email: beahmad@kku.edu.sa, prof.arnout74@

gmail.com

Scientific research is an essential pillar for the progress of countries, as a major driver

of all their institutions. It is also considered the mainstay of development and

improvement in all fields, achieving the welfare of peoples and preserving the entity

of the state. That is why scientific research has become one of the methods of pro-

fessional development. Scientific research is a structured intellectual process that a

researcher performs fact-finding to solve problems in an organized scientific way

called the research method. In light of crises and disasters, the urgent need for scien-

tific research and planning for it is evident, and what is happening now from the

COVID-19 pandemic crisis in our Arab and international world is the best evidence,

and the acceleration of challenges in higher education institutions and scientific

research centers, such as: globalization and the information and knowledge revolu-

tion, emphasized the need to develop scientific research which is the tool important

for the basic strategic vision of economic, political and social progress. For this, it is

necessary to adopt a strategic plan to invest in scientific research and apply its results

in solving problems that affect society. The findings of the current study emphasized

that the psychological researchers must conduct serious studies that touch the living

reality and the real scientific need. As well as, the current study findings stressed on

the importance of establishing a body to invest in scientific research in each country,

which will examine the results of studies in the various branches of science that can

be applied in reality, and contribute to solving the problems of people's lives, and

follow-up on patents and innovations that can be applied.

1|INTRODUCTION AND THEORETICAL

BACKGROUND

Scientific research with its outputs is one of the pillars of local and

global investment. Therefore, universities and scientific research bod-

ies play a prominent role in the international knowledge economy

through the global bodies and centers specialized in scientific research

activities, production, publication and development, as the growth of

the economy of these bodies and their prosperity has been seen in

the global market indicators of developed countries. Scientific

research contributes to the economy through the results of theoreti-

cal and applied research that helps in developing technologies and

products and increasing productivity in quantity and quality. On the

other hand, the production, marketing and dissemination of scientific

knowledge, whether through academic or commercial institutions,

has also become one of the pillars of economic investment

(O'Leary, 2004; Sadiq, 2004; Vandalin, 1977).

1.1 |The definition of scientific research

According to Walliman and Walliman (2011) scientific research con-

sidered as an activity that involves discovering, in one way or

another, methodology, things that it did not know. Pernecky (2016)

also defined the research as an organized effort to gain new knowl-

edge. Some also consider the research a journey of discovery from

Received: 26 July 2020Revised: 2 August 2020Accepted: 4 August 2020

DOI: 10.1002/pa.2356

J Public Affairs. 2020;20:e2356.wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/pa© 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd1of8

https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.2356